Embrace
by Taedae
Summary: After a hard day at work, Atem stumbles home in the middle of a late night storm. Drenched from the torrential downpour, and too exhausted to make it to bed on his own, it's up to Seto to ensure the Pharaoh gets a good night sleep.


_This piece is a gift for the amazing prettiugli! When we first became friends late last year, we had a discussion about Flareshipping, and that has stuck with me ever since. And thus, this story is in honour of you, our friendship, and your constant love and encouragement!_

_This piece, along with __**all**__ of my other stories (including explicit pieces), can also be found on AO3!_

* * *

Dripping water all over the entryway, Atem slammed the door behind him, shutting out the night's cold storm. He'd seen the weather report but thought he would be able to make it home before it would get this bad.

Apparently not.

Exhausted, wet, and chilled to the bone, he dragged himself down the hall, intending to climb the stairs to his room so he could collapse in bed, but as he neared the first step, he stopped and just stared. The second floor wasn't that high up, but it suddenly looked like a mountainous climb. He sighed, placing a single foot on the staircase, thinking that maybe he'd still be able to make it up there, but even that one step had taken far too much energy.

It had been a rough day, to say the least.

Gripping the railing on the wall, Atem lowered himself, intending to just sit down on the steps ... just for a minute ...

* * *

Seto flinched, waking to the sound of the front door closing downstairs. Atem was finally home. Rolling over, he glanced at the clock: _1:17 a.m._ He sighed, dragging his still half-asleep body up and out of bed.

It had become an all too regular occurrence lately for Atem to make it home long after Seto had left the office. He didn't blame the Pharaoh. His job was demanding, and he was head of the department, but understanding the situation didn't mean that Seto had to like it.

Snatching his robe off the back of his desk chair, Seto slipped his arms inside the fluffy fabric and quickly tied it closed at the waist. Mokuba was home tonight, and he didn't want to risk accidentally flashing his brother—again.

He quietly slipped through the bedroom door and softly padded down the hallway, pausing at the top of the stairwell, a small smile gracing his lips. Atem had curled up on the bottom step and fallen asleep. Treading carefully to not wake his lover, Seto descended the stairs. As he drew nearer, he took in Atem's wet uniform and sighed. Asleep or not, the man must be freezing.

Not wasting a second, Seto bent and scooped his lover up into his arms, cradling him tightly to his chest as he moved back upstairs and went straight back to their room. He gently tapped the door with his foot, not completely closing it but it shifted enough to still give them privacy should Mokuba pass by in the middle of the night. Besides, he didn't want to move too harshly or suddenly and accidentally wake Atem.

Crossing to the bed, Seto lay his lover down, who merely mumbled in his sleep and curled his body like a cat seeking comfort and warmth. Seto sighed again, but a smile soon tugged at his lips as he reached out to run his fingers through Atem's damp, wild hair.

The Pharaoh was so adorable sometimes.

Gently, Seto stripped his lover of his wet clothes and wrapped him up in the many layers of plush blankets covering the bed before discarding his robe and slipping under the covers with him. As his warm skin came in contact with Atem's, Seto bit his tongue to hold back a hiss. The Pharaoh was freezing, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he snuggled closer, curling his long body around his lover, determined to warm him up as quickly as possible.

They lay there in silence, Seto slowly drifting back to sleep with Atem in his arms, but just before entirely succumbing to his own exhaustion, he heard Atem whisper, "I love you, too."

* * *

_Thanks for much for reading! If you want ask me questions, chat about the newest stories/chapters, or even just want to have a place to connect with other people in the Yu-Gi-Oh fandom, you are more than welcome to join me on Discord! For a server invite, PM me, leave a review, reach out to me on Discord (Taedae#7683), or on any of my socials (listed on my profile)._


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